Weekly Insights: Gifts Attendees Will Keep & Use

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend the ASI Spring Roadshow once again. There were dozens of promotional products companies showcasing hundreds of items, from the cliché to the extreme. And while every exhibitor there thought their products were the most fascinating (how DOES anyone get so excited over an assortment of pens?), there were a few that truly stood out that will in turn help YOU stand out in an attendee’s mind.

Low-tech gadgets they’ll actually use. These days, everyone has a high-tech gadget or two … or three … in their pockets. So why not give them a low-tech accessory for those gadgets? There are all kinds of charger or cord-keeper items available which can be imprinted with your logo so attendees think of you every time they charge their phone or store their earbuds. Organizing tools like the Cord Cradle, Key Square, or Slim card holder also score points for usefulness over an extended period of time.

Information tools they can reference often. Want to help your prospects and customers become smarter? Give them tools to expand their knowledge or relax their mind. There are all kinds of planners, reference cards, and other booklets available. Of course if your audience is children or parents, there are coloring and activity books which can be branded with your logo. But why let kids have all the fun? There are also coloring and brain challenge books for adults too!

Gifts that demonstrate your commitment to the environment. Possibly because the ASI show took place around Earth Day there seemed to be an abundance of environmentally-oriented items this year, including planting kits in all shapes and sizes. There were also some innovative plantable items too, such as a cardboard button that contains flower seeds so you can remove the pin and plant it after your event. (Not necessarily good for keeping your name in front of them, but does support the idea of a zero-waste event!)

Helpful gifts to show you have their interests in mind. Ever loose your keys or a credit card down that tiny gap between your car seat and the center console? The Gap Stick helps eliminate the frustration of trying to wrangle items out of that never-never land. Want to soothe your prospect’s aches and pains? The Aqua Pearls hot/cold packs are great for doing just that and they come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes.

Show & tell your story – both in your booth and afterwards. The Cobra VR™ Viewer is a virtual reality tool for smart phones. Simply download the Google Cardboard app, clip the phone into the viewer’s rubber grips, and attendees are transported into a 3D world – great for games or simulations, venue tours, and more.

There were many other items of interest at the Roadshow, including some classy VIP gifts and cool signage ideas – watch for these in future posts. (If you’d like to read last year’s ASI Roadshow review, click here.) Want help brainstorming the perfect gift for your trade show audience? Simply click over to the Contact page and send me a note. We’ll work together to find a giveaway that will not only be a hit, but will also increase your ROI.

Marlys Arnold

With experiences as both an exhibitor and a show organizer, Marlys Arnold has a unique perspective on trade show exhibiting. As an exhibit marketing strategist, she travels the country consulting and training on how to create experiential exhibits that produce significantly higher numbers of qualified leads. She’s led workshops for events ranging from local consumer expos to some of the largest trade shows in the U.S. She hosts the Trade Show Insights blog/podcast, and is the author of Build a Better Trade Show Image, the Exhibitor Education Manifesto, and the ExhibitorEd Success System. Exhibit Design That Works (the first book in the YES: Your Exhibit Success series) debuted in July 2017. She’s also the founder of the Exhibit Marketers Café, an online education community.

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